The following mp3 sermon identifies the fears the Israelites had about entering into the promised land; it presents these to the listener as the same fears that face us today.
Sermon highlights precede Dr. Patrick Ramsey’s his 32 minute mp3 sermon:
- Deuteronomy is Moses history lesson to those preparing to enter into the promised land
- He warned them to not make the same mistakes their parents had made when they were in the same position, preparing to enter
- The big question: Will they respond more favorably than their parents did?
- Israel’s story is our story, we also have to enter: to pick up our cross, deny ourselves; obey God’s covenant commands…
- The entering of the land was a metaphor for eternal rest as Psalm 95 and Hebrews 3 and 4 indicate: that is, we cannot be like those who did not believe God or obey Him, unless we also do not want to enter eternal rest
- Our entire Christian life is comparable to Israel’s life in the wilderness and as they were standing on the border of Canaan
- We’ve been promised rest and charged to enter into it
- Faith is not blind, they had reasons to believe: God’s word had proven to be true; the land was beautiful and abundant in milk and honey, as the spys reported in Numbers 13 (see 14 also)
- Like Israel having fears to overcome regarding entering the land, so we have fears about the hardships awaiting us: suffering; temptations; self-denials; spiritual warfare; persevering in running the race…
- God said via His servants that no one can know the blessings awaiting him to be experienced for all eternity
- Israel thought the obstacles to be too great to overcome, and began to believe bad things about God as a result
- They re-interpreted God’s works: the exodus; covenant; tabernacle; giving of the law; guidance in the wilderness to mean that He hated them and planned to do evil to them
- Moses encouraged this second generation to see the aforementioned as signs that God would continue to care for them
- We must also remember what God has done and what awaits us; despite the hardships of walking with the Lord, we can persevere via His grace and mercy; His word has abundant examples of His goodness that faith feeds on [abide in His word]
- We can do all things through Christ; He has conquered all of our enemies
- The question that faced the Israelites, faces you too!
- How will you respond?
For other sermons by Dr. Patrick Ramsey, see sermonaudio.com
He pastors Nashua Orthodox Presbyterian Church